Sebelius, Holder, And Shinseki Will Stay Put When Obama's Second Term Begins

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius speaks as Attorney General Eric Holder listens during a news conference last October. The two plan to remain in their current jobs as President Obama's second term begins.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
hide caption

itoggle caption
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius speaks as Attorney General Eric Holder listens during a news conference last October. The two plan to remain in their current jobs as President Obama's second term begins.

Alex Wong/Getty Images

Attorney General Eric Holder, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki plan to remain with President Obama's administration as his second term begins, according to a White House official. The news that the three will remain in their current posts comes amid the departure of other Cabinet officials, including Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, who submitted her resignation today.

As Mark reported this morning, President Obama is expected to nominate White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew to succeed Timothy Geithner as Secretary of the Treasury. And the departing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will be replaced by former Sen. Chuck Hagel, if the Senate approves the president's nomination.

While Sen. Hagel, a Republican, is expected to encounter some resistance to his appointment in the Senate, the positions of Attorney General and Health and Human Services Secretary would almost certainly be more contentious.

Sebelius had been "expected to stay on at least through next year, when the biggest components of the Affordable Care Act are set to take effect," as The Hill reports.

And Holder, who has come under fire for his handling of the fallout from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' "Fast and Furious" gun operation, has previously been reported as likely to stay for "about a year" into Obama's second term.

The president has already nominated Sen. John Kerry to take the position of Secretary of State after Hillary Clinton leaves the post.

The confirmation of the intentions of Holder, Sebelius, and Shinseki to remain in their jobs leaves open the possibility that other changes might be on the way.